The Dog, the Chicken and the Boxer Shorts: Real Events Inspire Novel Events

Stealing from Life: You Can’t Make this Up
I was talking to my friend, LFP, and he told me about a funny thing that happened on the way to work.
It started with a retriever. LFP reads electric meters in a rural area, driving a company truck from house to deer camp to trailer to house. Yesterday, [...]

5 Plotting Mistakes

Do you make these 5 plotting mistakes?

Are you too nice to your characters?
Low tension. Give characters large, overwhelming obstacles to overcome. Of course, you love this dear fellow you created and like any good parent, you want only

Top Posts of 2009

I’ve taken a look at my statistics and here’s the top posts on Fiction Notes for 2009, in order of popularity. Five of these are the first page of a series of posts on a certain topic. The other five are individual posts.

Novel Writing. 30 Days to a Stronger Novel. 30 one-minute creative writing tips [...]

working methods

Find a Working Method that Works for You
My current WIP novel is at a curious stage. I’ve finished two drafts and now have feedback from two readers. I collated all the critiques onto one printout and have made even more notes on these pages.
So, the creative writing problem has been how to proceed from here.

after the holidays

Picking up the threads of a story is difficult after a holiday. Here’s four suggestions for making it easier:
Read. Read through a couple

Revise Second Draft

UnBlinded: Revising the Second Draft
419 Specific Comments
I’ve just gotten back two critiques on the second draft of my WIP novel. 419 specific comments. I’m excited.

Larger concerns. Each critique was accompanied by a letter with larger concerns. Both are still concerned that the characterization needs work. One would like a stronger opening and one thinks a [...]

Not For Us

The Dreaded Rejection: Not Right for Us
Do you get nice personal rejection letters that end, “. . . but this just isn’t for us.”? Jessica Page Morrell, a developmental editor, has written a book just for you and it’s a winner.

Thanks, But This Isn’t For Us: A (Sort of) Compassionate Guide to Why Your Writing [...]

In Memorium

Edith Elleen Legate Irvin 1926-2009
My mother passed away this week.
I’ll be back next week.

2 Types of Feedback

Feedback on Story or Best Way to Tell Story?
I’ve always considered the first draft of a novel as a time to get the story down on paper. The second draft is a time to consider the best way to tell that story.
So, when I’m looking at feedback from a reader, a critique of a draft, [...]

5 Reactions to Novel Feedback

Yep. You gotta get feedback on your novel and you gotta act on it. On everything? Yep. But what if. . .
Yes! Oh! No? Uh-oh! Huh?
Okay. Here are five reactions I’ve had to recent feedback: Yes! Oh! No? Uh-oh! Huh?

Yes! It’s great when